New Delhi: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has filed a detailed charge sheet in connection with a major human trafficking network that smuggled people to the United States through the infamous ‘donkey route’ — a treacherous path through multiple countries often used for illegal migration.
The agency named several individuals in the charge sheet, including Sunny, a resident of Dharamshala, Himachal Pradesh, and Shubham Sandhal, alias Deep Hundi, from Delhi’s Peeragarhi area. Both were arrested earlier this year. The alleged kingpin, Gagandeep Singh, also known as Goldy, was apprehended in March.
According to the NIA, Sunny played a central role in organizing illegal crossings while operating from Mexico between 2021 and 2023. He is accused of coordinating directly with smugglers to arrange the transport of Indian nationals across Central America and into the U.S. Once back in India, he continued managing logistics and financial transfers for the syndicate, primarily using hawala channels.
Shubham Sandhal has been identified as a key hawala operator in the racket. He allegedly collected money from clients in India and funneled it abroad, supporting the syndicate’s operations in Mexico and the U.S., the agency said. The funds were used to pay facilitators, arrange fake documentation, and bribe officials during the long and dangerous journey through countries like Spain, El Salvador, Guatemala, and Mexico.
The NIA said none of the accused had any legal authorization to facilitate overseas migration. Many victims were lured with false promises of legitimate visas and then forced to endure life-threatening journeys and detention in foreign territories.
“This is part of our continued crackdown on transnational human trafficking syndicates exploiting vulnerable people with the illusion of better opportunities abroad,” the agency noted in its statement.
The NIA also confirmed ongoing cooperation with international agencies, including those in the United States and Canada, to track overseas operatives linked to the network. Meanwhile, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) is pursuing a parallel investigation into the use of fraudulent student visa schemes for illegal migration.
So far, U.S. authorities have deported 388 undocumented Indians in 2025, with the majority arriving on chartered deportation flights to Amritsar. A Punjab Police SIT probing the matter has already filed over a dozen cases.
Investigations continue to identify more victims and traffickers connected to the syndicate.
